The crowd filled the tents at the Mehdi Heravi Peace Institute groundbreaking on Wednesday, March 22.(Photo/Paige Johnson)
Shoshone Elder Rios Pacheco cleanses the area with a smudge stick before the groundbreaking. (Photo/Paige Johnson)
Mehdi Heravi wears a Shoshone pendant, gifted from Shoshone elder Rios Pacheco. (Photo/Paige Johnson)
USU President Noelle Cockett speaks about the historic and first new building built for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. (Photo/Paige Johnson)
Rios Pacheco blesses the land at the Mehdi Heravi Peace Institute groundbreaking on March 22.(Photo/Paige Johnson)
Mehdi Heravi speaks to the crowd about the importance of the Peace Institute and how honored he is to have the building named after him. (Photo/Paige Johnson)
A smudge stick smokes as a means to cleanse the area before breaking the ground. (Photo/Paige Johnson)
Mehdi Heravi, USU president Noelle Cockett and city officials dig into the dirt. (Photo/Paige Johnson)
Mehdi Heravi, USU president Noelle Cockett and city officials toss the first scoops of dirt from the construction site into the air. (Photo/Paige Johnson)
Mehdi Heravi and USU president Noelle Cockett celebrate the Peace Institute groundbreaking. (Photo/Paige Johnson)
Golden shovels stick out of the dirt after being used to break ground on the Peace Institute construction site. (Photo/Paige Johnson)
People advertise the Portuguese Club at the Medhi Heravi Peace Institute groundbreaking reception. The Peace Institute will be the hub for the language clubs and classes. (Photo/Paige Johnson)
People grab selections of macrons, cheese and crackers, and artichoke dip. (Photo/Paige Johnson)
Russian books and cultural ornaments sit on the Slavic Club's table at the Peace Institute reception. (Photo/Paige Johnson)
People attend the reception serve themselves food from all over the globe including potstickers and sushi. (Photo/Paige Johnson)
Members of the city council, USU leadership and students from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the Mehdi Heravi Global Teaching and Learning Center on March 23, 2023.